Feeding and guiding mechanism for sewing machines



Jan. 20, 1959 H. H. SEAVERT 2,869,492

FEEDING AND GUIDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Oct. 14, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet} Jan. 20, 1959 H. H. SEAVERT 2,869,492

FEEDING AND GUIDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Oct. 14, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 54 'A wM 14M jfZMwMFYM Unite FEEDING AND GUIDING MECHANISM FQR SEWING MACHINES Howard H. Seavert, Kenosha, Wis., assignor to Simmons 7 Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Bellaware Application October 14, 1957, Serial No. 689,968 Claims. (Cl; 112-6) This invention relates to improvements in sewing mechanisms, and particularly to sewing machines for stitching the top and bottom face tickings of mattresses to, the mattress borders. This type of machine is sometimes referred to as a closing machine.

Generally speaking, a mattress closing machine comprises a table or suitable support for a partially assembled mattress construction, and a sewing machine mounted above table level on a carriage which moves on a track about the periphery of the table in position to sew a continuous seam around the mattress. The sewing head of, such a machine is'usuallyinclined at .an angleof ,45 degrees from horizontal so that the sewing needle passes obliquely through the aligned edges of the horizontal face ticking of the mattress and the vertical mattress border.

It will be understood that a mattress assembled on a closing machine of this type usually consists of a spring assembly which is covered top and bottom by suitable resilient padding material such, for example, as vegetable or animal fibers, and in some cases, foam'rubber or foamed plastic materials, or combinations of one or more of these. For the sake of appearance, and other reasons, the cover of the mattress must be taut, and the aforementioned padding materials must therefore be compressed somewhat in the closing operation. To accomplish this, and to provide sufficient additional slack to permit the marginal edge of the top ticking to pass freelyinto the sewing head of the machine without interference from the padding materials, it is necessary that the operator exert considerable pressure to pull the top ticking of the. mattress sidewardly to match its edge with "that of the border.

, While it is possible, as disclosed in my copendingapplication Serial No. 689,969, filed on October 14, 1957, to slacken the upper ticking of the mattress sufficiently to permit the operator to devote his attention to matching the edges of the top ticking and mattress border as the sewing head advances, I have found it desirable to provide means on the sewing head proper for ensuring that the. marginal edges of the top ticking and border are uniformly. superposed in registry with the advancing machine needle.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a guiding mechanism for the sewing heads of mattress closing machines for feeding the supperposed marginal edges of the top ticking and border of a mattress into the sewing head-of the machine in proper registry with each other and with the. machine needle so as toprovide a proper seam of uniform depth. It is a further object of the invention to provide, in a machine of the type described, a feeding and guiding mechanism which will tend to ensure uniformity of operation by eliminating, insofar as possible, the element of manual 'skill' heretofore requiredfor a successful mattress closing operation.

1 {Othenobjectsof the inventionwill appear from the 'turn stroke of its reciprocal movement.

following description taken in conjunction with the accomr panying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the sewing head of a closing machine,.i. e, an elevational view ofthe advancing side of themachine;

Fig. 2 is an enlargementof a fragmentary portion of Fig. 1, showing the engagement of the feeding and guiding mechanism with the top ticking and border of the. mattress during the sewing operation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the feeding and guiding mechanism in the inactive position, as, for example, before the work is presented to the machine for sewing;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional plan view of the bed or anvil of the sewing head taken on line i-4 of Fig. 1, and showing the passage of the work through the machine, and relationship of the feeding mechanism to the work and to the machine needle.

Briefly, a feeding and guiding mechanism in accordance with the invention comprises essentially a reciprocating probe which is insertable between the superposed edges of the .top ticking and border of the mattress as they approach the working zone of the sewing machine needle. The probe is mounted for reciprocal movement, in front of the machineneedle and in a path generally at right angles to the stroke of the needle. The probe is provided with means on its upper and lower sides for engaging the superposed layers of tickingso as to draw them sidewardly into the path of the needle on the re- Thus, the action of the probe, which is preferably, although not necessarily, timed with the stroke of the machine needle, serves to properly position the marginal edges of the tickings and borders of the rnattress in proper relation toeach other and to the machine needle as they advance into the machine to be stitched.

A closing machine of the type to which the invention is applied is fully illustrated and described in U. 5. Patent 1,857,371John F. Gail, assigned to the assignee of this invention, to which reference may be made for a detailed description of theentire machine, which except as here rodescribed, is not pertinent to the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. L the machine to which the invention is applied comprises essentially a sewing head 10 of the industrial type co-mprisingan upper arm 12 having at its end the usual bearing supports for the needle bar 14, and/the presser foot bar 16 of the machine. A lower anvil or bed 18 houses mechanism which, cooperating with the machine needle, forms the stitch. As earlier explained, the sewing head 10 is mounted on a movable carriage 20 so as to be supported at an angle of 45 degrees from the horizontal surface upon which the mattress construction reposes while it is being stitched.

Pivotally mounted on the upper arm 12 of the sewing head is a bell crank or rocker. arm 22 which is reciprocate-d by means of a pitman 24 connected to an eccentric on the main drive shaft of the sewinghead. The rocker arm22 is connected by, a link 28' to the needle bar 14, and by suitable linkage 30 to the switch forming mechanism, so as to drive those parts in properly timed relation.

Mounted in front of the machine needle 32 is a tape folder and guides 34 (see Figs. 3 and 4), which is mounted on an arm 36 secured to a lug 38 on the upper arm of the machine. As will be seen, particularly with reference to Fig. 4, a binding tapet), obtained from a supply reel, not Shown, passes around a guide post 42 and into the tape folder, from which it passes rearwardly, longitudinally folded, beneath the machine needle. As seen in Figs...2 and,3,.the tapevfolder, 34 is forkedat its outer end, so that as the superimposed edges of the top ticking 44 and border 46 of the mattress pass through the fork in the outer end of the tape folder, the superposed edges of the two pieces of ticking are enfolded by the tape 40 and pass immediately under the machine needle to be stitched. The needle passes first through the upper fold of the tape, the top ticking, the border, and then through the bottom fold of the tape. The foregoing operation is described in detail in the aforesaid Gail Patent No. 1,857,371.

The principal active element of the feeding and guiding mechanism with which this invention is concerned is a probing head 48 which has a smoothly-rounded, somewhat bullet-shaped nosel The probing head is carried at the free end of a spring leaf 50 and is formed of two symmetrical parts secured to the opposite sides of the spring leaf. Each part or half of the probing head is spaced at its back end from the central supporting leaf 50 so as to form, in etfect, a rearwardly directed claw 52, the purpose of which will be subsequently explained.

At its base end the spring leaf 50 is secured in a slot in the end of a two-part bar 54, the bar in turn being confined in ways in a guide block 56 secured by means of a bracket 58 to the bed or anvil of the sewing head (Fig. 4). The end of the bar 54 opposite the probing head 48 protrudes from the guide block 56, and is connec'ted by means of a, short link 60 to a motion reducing lever 62 which is pivoted at one end to the anvil 18 of the machine, and connected at its other end, by means of an adjustable link 64 to the needle-actuating rocker arm 22.

By means of these connections, shown particularly in Fig. l, the probing head 48 is given a reciprocating linear motion generally in the plane of the path of the edges of the ticking through the sewing head, and at right angles to the direction of movement of the material through the sewing head, and also generally at right angles to the stroke of the machine needle. Moreover, as the reciprocation of the probing head in the illustrated embodiment is timed with the needle stroke, the probing head is thrust more deeply between the superposed layers of ticking material on the up stroke of the needle, and is withdrawn in the opposite direction on the down stroke of the needle.

As indicated in Fig. 2, the probing head 48 is emplaced between the two superposed layers of ticking 44 and 46 during the operation of the machine. Each of these tickings is hemmed prior to the closing operation, i. e., the rough-cut edge of the ticking has been folded over once and stitched in a line parallel to and close to the line of the fold. This provides a flap 45 on the inside of each hemmed edge, the flaps being engaged by the claws 52 of the probing head on its withdrawal stroke and pulled sidewardly into the path of the needle.

The length of the probing stroke may be adjusted by proper selection of one of the multiple pivot holes 66 in the upper end of the lever 62, and by means of the adjustable connecting link 64 in order to insure that the superposed, hemmed edges of the ticking will be drawn sufficiently into the machine to become enfolded by the binding tape, and to be stitched together and to the tape by the machine needle.

The two parts of the probing bar 54 which carries the probing head 48 are preferably pivotally interconnected, as best shown in Fig. 3, as for example, by a tongue-andslot pivotal connection 68 which permits the probing head 48 to be lifted to an inactive position as may be required to facilitate threading of the machine needle 32, threading of the tape folder 34, etc. A leaf spring 70 secured to the underside of the pivotally movable part of the probing bar presses against the base portion of the bar, and, by its engagement with the lower forward edge 72 of the base portion of the bar, provides an over-center spring action which tends to maintain both the active and inactive positions of the probing head,

Referring again to Fig. 2, it will be appreciated that a certain amount of squeezing pressure is necessary to maintain the engagement of the claws 52 of the prob ing head with the flaps 45 of the hems of the ticking. This is provided by means of a spring-pressed roller 74 which rides on the top ticking, pressing the same against the upper surface of the probing head. The pressure of the roller 74 is transmitted through the probing head to the lower ticking, and then to the throat plate 76 on the anvil 18 of the machine. Thus, the superposed layers of ticking, with the probing head in between, are squeezed between the pressure roller and the throat plate of the machine.

As is shown best in Figs. 2 and 3, the roller 74 is preferably grooved, and the grooves are preferably relieved by a sloping surface on one side. There is thus provided a series of grasping ridges 73 which are relatively sharp on one side, tending to maintain their grasp on the upper ticking as the probing head thrusts more deeply into the interior of the mattress on its forward stroke, but dull on their opposite sides so as not to interfere unnecessarily with movement of the ticking in the opposite direction on the return stroke of the probing head.

The pressure roller 74 is journaled in a bearing 80 secured to the outer end of the spring leaf 82 which is pivotally mounted at its base on the guide block 56 in which the probing bar 54 reciprocates. Pressure is maintained on the spring leaf by a thumb screw which is carried on a forwardly swingable bar 86 pivoted on top of the guide block 56. Thus, when it is desired to move the probe 48 from the inactive position of Fig. 3 to the active position indicated in Figs. 1, 2 or 4, the operator swings the probing head 48 and pressure roller 74 down into the active positions, and swings the pressure bar 86 into a position overlying the pressure-roller supporting leaf 82. in this way, the desired operating adjustment of the pressure roller 74 need not be disturbed, as the machine operator may manually depress the spring leaf 82 sutficiently to permit the pressure bar 86 to be swung rearwardly into place.

By means of the foregoing mechanism, which provides for the positive positioning of the work in this specialized sewing operation, it has become possible to produce uniformly good closure seams in a mattress without the degree of manual skill which this operation has heretofore demanded.

Features of the invention believed new and patentable are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a sewing machine, mechanism for guiding the edges of two superposed layers of sheet material into the sewing machine in proper registry with the machine needle, comprising a probing head insertable between said edges, said probing head being mounted on said machine for reciprocation in front of said machine needle generally in the plane of movement of said edges through the machine and at right angles to the direction of said movement, said reciprocation being such as to alternately thrust said probing head more deeply between said layers and to withdraw on the return stroke, said probing head having on opposite sides thereof means adapted to engage said layers on the return stroke to draw the samesidewardly into the path of the machine needle, means for applying pressure to the outside faces of said layers to maintain the engagement of the probing head therewith, and drive means connected to said probing head for imparting said reciprocation thereto.

2. In a mattress closing machine, mechanism for guiding the edges of a mattress face ticking and a mattress border, in superposed relation, into said closing machine in proper registry with the machine needle, comprising a probing head insertable between said edges, said probing head being mounted on said machine for reciprocation in front of said machine needle generally in the plane'of movement of said edges through the machine and at right angles to the direction of said movement, said reciprocation being such as to alternately thrust said probing head more deeply between said ticking and border and to withdraw same on the return stroke, said probing head having on opposed sides thereof means adapted to engage said ticking and border on the return stroke to draw the same sidewardly into the path of the machine needle, means for applying pressure to the outside faces of said ticking and border to maintain the engagement of the probing head therewith, and driving means connected to said probing head for imparting said reciprocation thereto.

3. In a mattress closing machine, mechanism for guiding the hemmed edges of a mattress face ticking and a mattress border, in superposed relation, into said closing machine in proper registry with the machine needle, comprising a probing head insertable between said hemmed edges, said probing head being mounted on said machine for reciprocation in front of said machine needle generally in the plane of the path of movement of said edges through the machine and at right angles to the direction. of said movement, said reciprocation being such as to alternately thrust said probing head more deeply between said ticking and border and to withdraw same on the return stroke, said probing head having on opposed sides thereof a claw extending in the direction or" withdrawal of said probing head and adapted to engage the opposed hems of said ticking and border to draw the same sidewardly into alignment with the machine needle, means for applying pressure to the outsides of said hemmed edges to maintain the engagement of the same with said claws, and driving means connected to said probing head for imparting said reciprocation thereto.

4. In a mattress closing machine, mechanism for guiding the hemmed edges of a mattress face ticking and a mattress border, in superposed relation, into said closing machine in proper registry with the machine needle, comprising a probing head insertable between said hemmed edges, said probing head being mounted on said machine for reciprocation in front of said machine needle generally in the plane of the path of movement of said edges through the machine and at right angles to the direction of said movement, said reciprocation being such as to alternately thrust said probing head more deeply between said ticking and border and to withdraw same on the return stroke, said probing head having on opposed sides thereof a claw extending in the direction of withdrawal of said probing head and adapted to engage the opposed hems of said ticking and border to draw the same sidewardly into alignment with the machine needle, a roller journalled on said machine above said probing head and biased downwardly to press said ticking, border, and interleaved probing head against the bed of the machine thereby to maintain the engagement of said claws with said hemmed edges, said roller being grooved to provide a series of edges for holding the ticking against sideward displacement during the thrust of the probing head, and driving means connected to said probing head for imparting said reciprocation thereto.

5. In a mattress closing machine, mechanism for guiding the edges of a mattress face ticking and a mattress border, in superposed relation, into said closing machine in proper registry with the machine needle, comprising a probing head insertable between said edges, said probing head being mounted on said machine for reciprocation in front of said machine needle generally in the plane of movement of said edges through the machine and at right angles to the direction of said movement, said reciprocation being such as to alternately thrust said probing head more deeply between said ticking and border and to withdraw same on the return stroke, said probing head having on opposed sides thereof means adapted to engage said ticking and border on the return stroke to draw the same sidewardly into the path of the machine needle, means for applying pressure to the outside faces of said ticking and border to maintain the engagement of the probing head therewith, and a driving connection between said probing head and said machine for thrusting said probing head on the up stroke of the machine needle and withdrawing the probing head on the down stroke of the needle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,191,068 De Voe July 11, 1916 1,354,514 Seymour Oct. 5, 1920 1,857,371 Gail May 10, 1932 2,113,950 Seaman Apr. 12, 1938 2,546,527 Smyth Mar. 27, 1951 2,726,611 Cloutier Dec. 13, 1955 

